Chapter 184: A Preview of a Slightly Twisted Love Comedy
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 184: A Preview of a Slightly Twisted Love Comedy
“Master.”
I called out to Chinami, who was crouched in a corner of the club room doing something, my head peeking out from the storage room.
“Yes?”
Somehow, she heard my quiet voice and turned her head toward me.
When I beckoned, she dusted off the hem of her uniform pants and came pitter-pattering over to me on her cute little feet.
I ushered her into the storage room and took an item out of the shopping bag I had prepared.
Then, I placed it in Chinami’s hands.
“It’s a gift.”
Chinami’s eyes widened as she received the thick object.
“This is...”
My gift to her was a pair of gloves.
Apricot-colored mittens, with only the thumbs sticking out.
“I tried to find a pair with Momo-nim on them, but I felt like winter would be over by the time I did, so I wanted to give them to you before it got any later.”
“.....”
“Would you like to try them on?”
Even after I suggested it, Chinami just blinked her large eyes, staring down at the gloves resting on her clasped hands.
Her gaze was filled with emotion, but a complex mix of feelings swirled within it.
After standing there for a long while, just admiring the gloves, she looked up at me.
“U-Um... Junior.”
“Yes.”
“Thank you so, so, so, so much for the gift... but I think I can only accept the thought.”
I knew she’d say that.
The more our relationship develops, the more Miyuki’s face must flash before her eyes.
I gently pushed the gloves she was holding out back toward her.
“Are you free this weekend, by any chance? Should we meet up with Miyuki?”
“Huh...? W-With Hanazawa-senpai...?”
“Yes. Let’s get a meal together. It’s been a while. Ice cream would be nice, too.”
“B-But...”
“Miyuki said she’s fine with it.”
“B-But... Hanazawa-senpai... she doesn’t... that we...”
“That we did... that?”
“Eek... Y-Yes... that’s right...”
She jumped, startled, when I subtly brought up our relationship.
I gave a faint smile and shook my head.
“She knows.”
“....What?”
Chinami froze, dumbfounded by my unexpected answer.
I placed a hand gently on her shoulder and repeated myself.
“Miyuki knows. I’m sure of it.”
“H-How could she...? Why...?”
Not ‘how,’ but ‘why?’
It was a question befitting the quirky Chinami, but also a perfectly normal one.
“As I’ve said before, you don’t need to worry about that.”
“O-Okay...?”
“So, can I take that as a yes?”
“Wh-What...? I haven’t given you an answer yet...?”
“You’re not going to eat with us?”
“No... I mean, I’d also like to catch up with Hanazawa-senpai, but... I don’t know if I should...”
“Miyuki’s fine with it, I’m fine with it, and you’re fine with it. What’s the problem?”
“I-Is that how it is...?”
“That’s how it is. For now, just try on the gloves.”
“Ah, okay...!”
Did she sense the conviction in my words?
With a somewhat relieved expression, Chinami stopped hesitating. She carefully slipped her hands into the gloves, so cautious she didn’t even touch the price tag still attached.
Then, she let out a pure, heartfelt gasp of admiration.
“They’re so pretty... and warm...”
“You like them?”
“Yes...! Thank you so much... I think they’d be even prettier if I embroidered Momo-nim on the back... Would that be okay...?”
I’m glad she likes them.
Watching Chinami flex her four fingers inside the mittens, my heart ached in a good way. I beamed at her, her expression having quickly melted into a silly grin.
“Of course.”
* * *
There are many key points to a bunny girl outfit.
Cufflinks, a black leotard that reveals the upper chest, a bow-tie choker, pantyhose...
Furthermore, there’s the bunny ear headband, a round white tail, and extremely high heels.
It’s even better when the outfit subtly reveals the woman’s Y-zone, showing off her prominent iliac crests.
The cosplayer I was looking at right now was just like that.
With her slender figure and wide hips, her cosplay hit all the right points, stirring a sense of excitement in anyone who saw her.
Even considering it was edited, it was perfect. But there was one flaw.
The leotard had no sheen.
It would have been better if it were a smooth, latex-like leotard, so it’s a little disappointing that it wasn’t.
It was just one thing short of my perfect bunny girl.
That’s why I need Renka.
I want to hurry up and put her in a cosplay that perfectly satisfies my personal tastes.
As I was enjoying the visual pleasure of examining various women’s cosplay outfits from a bench outside,
“What... what do you think you’re doing right now...?”
I heard Renka’s voice from behind and turned my head.
When did she get here without making a sound?
She must have snuck up on me to get revenge for me secretly eavesdropping on her confession scene at lunch today.
To startle me, or something like that.
“What do you mean?”
At my utterly shameless attitude, Renka, who had been staring with her mouth agape in disbelief, furrowed her brow.
“Why are you looking at stuff like that...!”
“I’m done with my work and taking a break. Is there a problem?”
“Th-That’s not what I meant...!”
“Then what?”
“.....”
Renka pressed her lips together.
Realizing what she was thinking, one corner of my mouth curled into a smirk.
She was worried I was going to make her wear what I was looking at.
She catches on quick. How did she know?
“Ah... I see. Understood.”
Seeing my all-knowing expression, the color drained from Renka’s face.
“Wh-What...? What do you see? What did you understand?”
“You should have just said so from the start.”
“Hey...! I think you’re getting the wrong idea... I only asked why you were looking at that, okay?”
It was funny watching her hold up her hands and wave them frantically in front of her.
“I get it.”
“No, what do you get?! I have to explain so you can clear up this misunderstanding...!”
Would it be too mean of me if I didn’t want to clear it up?
No, anyone who saw Renka’s reaction would think the same thing I did.
“Is there anything to clear up? You were the one spying on my private life, Captain.”
“The spying wasn’t on purpose...! Just like you at lunch today...!”
“Was it?”
“A-And since I saw it, I have to clear it up. Of course, I could just scoff and move on... but you might use this against me and... and throw a tantrum.”
Her flustered rambling is adorable.
“What kind of tantrum?”
“.....”
She fell silent, a bitter look on her face.
I grinned at her, knowing she’d rather die than reveal her true feelings, and changed the subject.
“Was that guy in your class?”
“He was in my class in the first year.”
“You must have been close.”
“Not at all.”
“Wouldn’t he have confessed because you were close?”
“We just acted like normal classmates. He’s the one who got the wrong idea.”
“But you were nice to him, right?”
“Hmm...? I’m not so sure.”
“Did you treat him like you treat Miura and the other club members? Or like you treat me?”
“....I can’t say it was the latter.”
“So you were leading him on.”
At those words, a vein popped on Renka’s forehead.
“Leading him on...?! I had no intention of doing that...! What do you take me for? Don’t cross the line...!”
“Alright. I’m sorry.”
“Hah... just talking to you makes me feel like I’m about to boil over. It’s so annoying.”
“Isn’t it fun?”
“Do I look like I’m having fun right now?”
You absolutely do.
You’re acting all prickly, but you’re not leaving.
In the past, Renka would have turned her back on me before the conversation even got this far. It’s a strange new feeling.
As expected, you have to be shameless.
Now that I’m being thick-skinned and pushing forward, Renka is slowly starting to melt.
There’s still a long way to go before she melts completely, but this is a huge step forward.
I’m proud, so proud.
“I’m having fun.”
“You’re the only one who thinks so...”
“What are you doing for the break?”
“Why do you keep asking such random questions? What are you going to do with that information?”
“I just suddenly got curious.”
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know? Or you won’t tell me?”
“Both.”
“That’s disappointing.”
I stood up from the bench and stretched. Savoring Renka’s unique blueberry scent mixed in the headwind, I approached her.
“Wh-What is it?”
She flinched, but not wanting to lose her nerve, she glared at me. It wasn’t threatening in the slightest; it was just cute.
Like a kitten that doesn’t know anything but is on guard just in case.
“I’m going to work.”
“You said you were done.”
“That was just the first phase. Now I have to fold the dry uniforms and carry the water delivery that’s coming today.”
“Oh, really?”
“Want to help?”
“Why would I?”
“Didn’t you say so before? That you’d have to watch over me and help out since I might still be clumsy with the manager’s duties. I think you said that in front of Master.”
Renka’s shoulders flinched as if I’d hit a nerve.
“How do you even remember something so trivial?”
“I have a uselessly good memory. I still vividly remember you kneeling before me in a maid uniform and a collar.”
“Hey! You...”
Renka shouted, about to let loose a string of curses before clamping a hand over her mouth.
I chuckled and said, “I’m kidding. I don’t remember.”
“And you expect me to believe that?”
“Can’t help it if you don’t want to believe me. It’s not like you can look inside my head.”
“Could you please just erase that from your memory?”
“I told you, I don’t remember.”
I spoke nonchalantly and walked past her. She let out a small, frustrated sound, “Aish...”, and followed after me.
“I told you to erase it from your memory... Got it?”
“I said I don’t remember.”
“You do remember. Erase it.”
“I don’t remember.”
“And stop mixing in informal speech.”
“I haven’t.”
“You just did.”
“I told you, I didn’t.”
“See...! You’re doing it again...!”
“Ugh, why are you so obsessed with me using formal speech?”
“This isn’t an obsession, it’s an effort to make you a decent human being...!”
“Whatever... so annoying.”
“What? Annoying? Hey!”
I couldn’t help but smile as I watched her quicken her pace to match my stride, looking completely dumbfounded.
You’re destined to film a love comedy with me.
A slightly twisted love comedy, perhaps... but it’s what the gods have ordained.
Just you wait for the break.
And so, like a couple with a one or two-year age gap bickering over something trivial, we squabbled our way down the hill.